Gareth Southgate made a couple of notable omissions when he announced his provisional Euro 2024 squad on Tuesday afternoon.
A total of 33 players were selected ahead of pre-Euro 2024 friendlies against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland, with the England boss needing to whittle his selections down to 26 by June 7.
After a season which saw him make a controversial switch to Saudi Arabia before returning to Europe with Ajax in January, Jordan Henderson will be watching the action from his sofa (or perhaps a TV studio) this summer as the 33-year-old was not named in Southgate’s initial squad.
Southgate admitted is was a ‘difficult call to make’ in leaving the former Liverpool skipper out, with his recent five-week injury absence the determining factor behind his decision.
Henderson has won 81 caps since he made his Three Lions debut in against France in November 2010, but the midfielder’s international career now appears to be over.
His omission from this summer’s squad also means that he will be denied the opportunity to set a new England record for being selected to the most number of international tournaments.
As things stand, Henderson has been to six major tournaments.
After being called up for Euro 2012, Henderson also went to the 2014 World Cup, Euro 2016, the 2018 World Cup, Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
Had he been called up this summer, he would have been the first England player to go to seven tournaments, but will now remain on six with two other former England stars.
Sol Campbell became the first England player to make seven tournaments when he got a call-up for the 2006 World Cup. That came after he featured at Euro 96, the 1998 World, Euro 2000, the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004.
The only other player to feature six times is Wayne Rooney, who made his tournament bow at Euro 2004 and also turned out at the 2006 World Cup, the 2010 World Cup, Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016.
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